Your Best Pregnancy

Rennie Peppermint for heartburn and indigestion. Rennie Liquid Heartburn Relief Oral Suspension. Rennie Heartburn, Indigestion & Wind Relief Chewable Tablets. Always read the label. Medicines can affect the unborn baby. Always talk to your pharmacist or doctor before taking any medicine in pregnancy. This medicine is only for adults and children over 12 years

AD – Your Best Pregnancy. Can a pregnancy ever be described as the “best”? It’s difficult as not every aspect of pregnancy feels like the best but I actually think yes, as you make the best of being pregnant. Despite the tough bits, many of us strive to do the best we can for our unborn babies and for ourselves.

Pregnancy is a bit like Marmite; you either love it, blossom and glow or you can’t wait for it to be over and I know so many people on both sides of the fence. I also think your body is very clever and you can often forget the not so good sides to it. That’s evolution for you I guess; we would only ever have one child if we remembered all the not so nice bits in every raw detail. This could be the end of the human race!

I have been through pregnancy three times now and for me, each one got steadily harder work. This is likely due to already having energetic toddlers, who don’t really allow you to sit down and rest like for your first baby. Also, I was getting older with each pregnancy and your body really goes through the mill each time.  Despite this, I always look back on pregnancy with such fond memories; such nostalgia. I know I am completely done with my three babies but it’s a sad thing knowing you won’t be pregnant again.

I had so many highs and lows throughout all three of my pregnancies, as all women do:

I loved my steadily growing bump and changing body shape. I just felt feminine and curvy; something I don’t always feel normally. During my third pregnancy I treated myself to some lovely maternity clothes and I felt great, confident and glowing. Even slightly fashionable!

The kicks and the baby movement is always a magical thing for me. I was totally amazed each time as they got stronger and stronger, as each baby grew until there was barely any space left for them. My hubby just never got it, even though he tried to, as he felt my bump. Growing a life inside of you is sometimes hard to comprehend!

You just feel special; taken care of and I liked my hubby or Mum fussing. I loved all the questions from friends; do you know the sex? Any names? Even the old, was it planned? It’s such a lovely part of your life and I treasure that feeling. The excitement when I felt the kicks, the nervousness of the upcoming birth. I’ll never forget it.

But it wasn’t all rosy and as I’m not too far away from the end of my third and final pregnancy, I can remember those tough stages.

The first trimester nausea which got steadily longer with each pregnancy, disappeared at 12, 16 and 20 weeks respectively. This was tough; feeling constantly queasy with a horrible taste in my mouth, that often got worse with food. It’s hard to be excited about being pregnant when you feel that rough.

You can’t eat as much either; feel full and I remember heartburn during pregnancy being hard work. I’d ensure I was eating smaller meals, and avoiding too much fatty or very spicy foods. This was tough when I love a good curry! I also had to ensure I didn’t lie down too quickly after a meal or if it was too bad, try a treatment like Rennie, which has been helping people with indigestion and heartburn for 85 years now. I didn’t realise 72% of pregnant women suffer with it, due to hormonal changes and a growing baby pressing against your stomach.  It can be uncomfortable and tough to deal with.

You miss a lot during pregnant too. For me, being able to exercise as much I wanted, to have a glass of wine and to get a full night’s sleep without getting up for a wee, or should I say a small trickle. I’ll never forget the confusion after my babies when I have gone longer than an hour without dashing to the loo!

Pregnancy does though just amaze me. Our bodies adapt and we do sometimes suffer for some or all of it. I found ways to get around this and despite the rough bits, I know I’ll always remember the smoother aspects more and look back fondly.

My pregnancies will always seem like my best in my eyes.

This post is in conjunction with Rennie® but all thoughts are my own